Review of Journey Girl Dana (Red Sweater)

PRODUCT DETAILS:
Put out by:  Geoffrey, LLC (a subsidiary of Toys R Us, Inc.)
Release date:  2012
Made in China
UPC:  034035188884




Age Recommendation:  6+
Doll Height:  18 inches
Awards:  Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award Platinum
Movement:  Classic baby doll--head moves side to side, arms move up and down (back and forth, as well as to the side), do not bend at elbows, legs move up and down, do not bend at knees, can stand up on own, can sit down if you put hands behind her or prop her up.
Contents of Package:  1 18 inch doll that is dressed in a black & white checkered hat, glasses, white t-shirt, red crochet sweater, black tie belt, blue jeans, no socks, and shoes.
Hair Color and characteristics:  Black, straight, short, bad haircut (doll comes this way), small braid on the side, hair is rooted
Eye color and characteristics:  Blue, long eyelashes, eyes do not close
Type of Doll:  Vinyl appendages, soft lower torso
Doll personal biography:  Dana is an animal lover.  Wherever she travels, she is certain to visit the local zoos and aquariums.  She hopes to go on a safari in South Africa someday.
Written on the back of the box doll came in:  (Dana's box is identical in appearance to Journey Girl Kelsey's Winter Edition, which I did a review on earlier)  Meet the girls...Introducing Taryn (whose name was later changed to Chavonne), Kyla, Meredith, Dana, Kelsey, and Callie (there is also a new doll named Jordana)--the best friends who love to see new sights and explore new things.  To these girls, half the fun is sharing their experiences--and special talents--with one another.  No matter how far apart they are, Journey Girls keep in touch by talking on the phone, emailing, texting, and writing postcards.  Their friendship will last forever and their adventures are just beginning.  Take a Journey Girl on your next trip!
Problems Dolls Known For:  Journey Girls are very well made.  However, their hair can be prone to snarling--even out of box.  Also, they can have bald spots.  This is usually due to hair styling rather than hair falling out.  
Website:  www.journeygirlsdolls.com

Dana without glasses.

Dana was my first introduction to the Journey Girl series.  I love 18 inch dolls, and Journey Girls are quite beautiful and well made.  Though they have certain common characteristics, they are more individual looking.  One thing that has annoyed me about American Girl dolls is that generally it looks like the same doll--just different skin, hair, and eye color.  The Journey Girls also generally have more pleasant expressions too, which is a complaint I have with My Generation dolls, who look like they are in a state of perpetually being in shock.  In many ways, they (the Journey Girls) reminded me of the smaller Heart4Hearts dolls--though their eyes aren't as creepy.

Journey Girls supposedly are based on real girls (like Heart4Hearts).  Each doll has their own personal interests, but all love to travel.  As mentioned in the product details, Dana is an animal lover.  Her dream is to go on safari in South Africa one day.  Of the dolls, Dana is the only one that really resembles the girl she is supposedly based on.

The real Dana the doll is modeled after

        

I tend to really like dolls that have characteristics that toy makers didn't give dolls in my day.  What I really liked about Dana is that she had glasses.  Glasses are now another thing that can be stylish.  It no longer has the stigma, it seems, it once did.  This is, of course, nice for those of us who have worn glasses all our lives.  When I was growing up, though, glasses were a sign of being ugly.  Having to wear dark, square frames like Dana is sporting meant you were particularly ugly and poor (in those days, those frames were not considered stylish and were the cheapest you could get).  Toy makers would not have put glasses on a doll in my day because that doll would not get bought. I also loved the doll's outfit--particularly the crochet sweater and checkered hat.

Journey girls can sit down if you prop them up or if you put their hands behind them.  They can stand on their own too.

My mother--who seems to always think anything I like is ugly or evil in some way--thought Dana was ugly initially.  Then again, it seems Dana reminded her of an old school friend turned enemy.

Dana was difficult to remove from the box until I learned the trick.  Journey Girls have a plastic piece in their box that cradles their neck.  Rubber bands secure the doll to the plastic piece.  You cannot remove the plastic piece.  The trick to removing the doll is to snip the clear rubber bands around the neck.  Once you learn that, it is fairly easy to remove the dolls--though it can be difficult if the doll is wearing jewelry (like Jordana).

I was surprised that Dana had a bad haircut.  The doll comes this way.  I did not cut her hair.  Then again, Dana seems like the sort of girl (like myself) who would do her own haircuts.  I guess that endeared her to me too.  I can definitely identify with the feeling of getting annoyed with your hair falling into your face, grabbing your scissors, and just cutting away.  I still remember the look on my hairdresser's face--the one time I did go to a professional--when she asked if I cut my own hair.  I answered in the affirmative, and she said, "Why?!"

What Journey Girls look like naked.  They are vinyl dolls but have a soft lower torso.

Another thing that surprised me was that Dana had a soft lower torso.  I didn't notice this initially, since I did not undress the doll.  I only felt the difference once I picked her up.

You can say the same things for most of the Journey Girls, and when I do a review on one, I try to say a few things that are different.  I either like to mention what sets the doll apart from the others--or if it is something they all share--I reveal something I've not said before.  Though I've mentioned the soft torso, Dana got the honor--for this review--of being the Journey Girl to get naked for the camera.  I did initially pose her reclining, as if she were visiting a nude beach.  However, Dana--like most of my dolls--just seemed to enjoy being naked too much.  I was worried the pictures would give the wrong idea.

The clothes were not difficult to remove really.  The jeans were the most challenging, but basically the dolls are easy to undress.  Additional clothing can be purchased for them, though it can be rather expensive.  However, the clothes are well made--and they usually include shoes and/or other accessories.  The dolls supposedly can wear American Doll clothing.  There are also furniture accessories for these dolls.

Don't be surprised if you undress your doll to find strange marks or indentations.  I've heard this remarked upon in other reviews, and I noticed that Dana had some "bruises" on her arm when I undressed her.  This is the first time I undressed the doll, and she is not manhandled roughly.  I cannot explain why there are these marks.  They don't seem to be "rub-off" from the clothing.

I'm very fond of Dana.  I'm glad I got her when I did.  I haven't liked the outfits of the Danas that were released after my doll.

I did a video review for this doll on Youtube.  I probably say the same things, but it is another way to get a closer look if you wish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hopLN5nl558